Aspects of the Sabbath in the late second Temple period

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Aspects of the Sabbath in the late second Temple period

Lizorkin, Ilya

2006-03

This thesis is a study of five books (Jubilees, 1 and 2 Maccabees, the Damascus
Document and Josephus Jewish Antiquities) that represent the literature dealing with the
issue of the Sabbath in significant ways, written between 200 B.C.E. and 100 C.E. In this
study the author is determined to find the most prominent ways in which various Jews of
the period treated the Sabbath, considering both its theological significance and actual
practical application. The author seeks to apply the literary-critical method to the study of
these books by identifying how the Sabbath pericopes fit into the larger structure of each
book and contribute to the overall argument of each work. After dealing with
introductory issues, such as terms, methods, historical settings and methodology, the
author then works through the major Sabbath-related pericopes in each book followed by
a concluding summary for each book. Then author moves from detailed individual
conclusions to general summaries, seeking to deduce the “big picture” of the Judaisms
represented in the five works that he researched.
Throughout the thesis the author is asking all of the texts the following questions: Was
there a major Jewish view of the Sabbath or were the views varied within Judaisms? Was
the Sabbath one of the most important issues facing the Jewish Community or was it
rather a peripheral one? What was the place of Covenant with YHWH in the Sabbath
thought of the day? What was the impact of the historical events of the period on the
views of the Sabbath? Was the understanding(s) of the Sabbath legalistic or was there a
depth of heartfelt spirituality accompanying Sabbath observance? Were the rules with
regard to the Sabbath actually carried out or were they largely ignored? At the conclusion
he attempts to answer these questions point by point based upon the data that he collected
by studying the passages related to the Sabbath observance within the books mentioned
above. This study is preliminary in nature, since it attempts to provide only some
background information to the question: Did the Jewish Christians of the first century
change the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday? If so, how did they do so while managing to avoid any kind of major debate over the change? This question the author
plans to pursue in his forthcoming research.